To the automatic



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G; A. EDDY.

BOILER FEEDING DEVICE.

No. 552,170. Patented Dec. 31, 1895.

NrrEn TATES PATENT Fries.

GEORGE A. EDDY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIOfASSIGNOR TO THE AUTOMATIC TANK ANDBOILER FEED COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BOILER-FEEDING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,170, dated December31, 1895.

- Application filed March 5, 1895.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. EDDY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Boiler- Feeding Devices;and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to automatic boilerfeeds.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel device by which thewater in a steamboiler shall be automatically maintained at the desiredlevel.

Another object of the invention is'to provide a novel device by whichthe water shall be automatically maintained at a predetermined level,whatever may be the pressure in the boiler.

To these ends the invention consists in the novel construction andcombination of parts shown in the drawings and hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of a boiler with my improveddevice connected therewith. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of thefeed-water valve. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on line3 3 of Fig.4:, and Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the parts by letter, A represents the boiler, and B thefeed-water pipe which connects the pump with the boiler below thewater-level.

C represents a valve-casing which is con.- nccted in the; pipe B. Inthis casing is a check-valve c, which is lifted from its seat by thepressure of the water forced forward by the pump, when said movement ofthe valve is not prevented by the mechanism to be presently described.In the casing is a vertically-movable piston c, the lower end of whichis always subject to the back-pressure from the boiler. The area of 7the upper end of the piston is greater than that of the lower end,wherefore said piston is moved downward whenever both ends are subjectedto the boiler-pressure. In the lower end of the vented by the valve G.

Serial No. 540,672. (No model.)

piston is a vertical socket 0 into which the stem 0 of the valve 0projects. The socket is of such depth compared with the length of thevalve-stem that when the piston is forced down it forces and holds thevalve 0 down upon its seat; but when the piston is raised the socketserves as a guide for the valve-stein.

The upper end of the valve-chamber O is connected with a chamber D inthe casin g d with which are likewise connected, first, a pipe E, whichis in communication with the steamspace in the boiler, and, second, theexhaustpipe F. The entrance to chamber D of steam from the boilerthrough pipe F is prevented by the valve E, while the escape of steamfrom the chamber to the exhaust-pipe is pre- The valve E is forced andheld against its seat by a coil-spring e, which thrusts against the endof the valvestem 6' and the fixed shoulders d d, and the Valve G isforced and held against its seat by a similar spring 9, which thrustsagainst the shoulders g on the valve-stem and the fixed cross-bar d.

Mechanism, which I will now proceed to explain, is provided for openingthe valve G when the valve is closed, and vice versa.

I H represents a tube made of copper or some other material whichexpands and contracts considerably as its temperature changes. This tubeis secured at one end to a fixed pipe I, which is connected with theboiler below the water-level. The other end of the tube is connectedwith a more or less flexible or movable pipe J, which communicates withthe boiler. The end of this pipe in the boiler must be so placed thatwhen the water is below the desired level steam may enter it, and it maybe so placed that it is open to the entrance of steam at all times. Onthe end of the tube II is fixed a head h, to which are attached two rods#71 which enter the chamber D through stuffing-boxes and act upon thevalves E and Gin the manner hereinafter described. The inner end of therod h passes through a hole in the tubular stem '6, and on its inner endis a head 7L3, (which maybe a nut,) which, as the rod is drawn backward,engages with the valvesten1 and draws the valve from its seat. Whentherod moves inward, it permits the spring to seat the valve,

and then, in a further movement of said rod, it slides through the holein the valve-stem without moving said valve. The rod W has in its innerend a socket 71 into which the stem g of the valve G enters. hen the rodh moves forward, it pushes the valve G from its seat, thereby connectingthe chamber D with the exhaust-pipe F. WVhen the rod moves backward, thevalve is closed by its spring, and the further backward movement of saidrod does not affect the position of the valve. When the tube expands,(lengthens,)

the rods h 77, are forced forward, with the result of opening theexhaust-valve G and permittin g the valve E to close itself. Vhen thetube contracts, (shortens,) it draws the rods h 7L2 backward, with theresult of opening the valve E and permitting the valve G to close.

WVhen the described apparatus is attached to a boiler, the parts thereofmay be placed at any convenient point, except this, that the tube H mustbe horizontal and must lie wholl y or partly above the level below whichthe water in the boiler is not intended to fall and must be outside ofthe boiler.

\Vhen the apparatus is connected in the described manner to thefeed-pipe and boiler, the mode of operation is as follows: \Vhen thewater has risen above the tube H, said tube is filled with water, whichenters through the pipe I, expelling the steam from said tube. The waterwhich thus enters the tube H is or pelled.

D and thence into the valve-casing C on top of the piston c therein.This piston is moved down by the steam and-carries down with it thecheck=valve c, which is held against its seat with sufficient force bysaid piston and by the back-pressure from the boiler to prevent thepassageof water past it. When, by evaporal tion, the water-level islowered, the water in the tube runs out and steam enters said tube, Iwhich steam, being hotter than the water it? replaced, causes theelongation of the tube H. This, through the intermediate mechanismdescribed, causes the exhaust-valve G to be opened and permits thevalveE to be closed, whereupon the back-pressure from the boiler in thefeed-water pipe raises the piston c and 3 permits the check-valve c tobe raised by the water as it is forced along by the pump.

I prefer to have the end of pipe J in the boiler just below the lowerside of the tube H, because the tube then remains full of water untilthe water in the boiler falls below more rapid in its action and thedevice refl spends more quickly.

The apparatus above described is one which pump.

is admirably suited to use with boilers which are operated at all timesat approximately the same pressure, and it can be arranged and adjustedso as to perform its functions perfectly with any pressure in theboiler, provided said pressure is approximately maintained; but sincethe tube expands and contracts within the useful limits at certain temperatures, and since the temperature of the water as Well as the steamis greater as the pressure is greater, it is obvious that saidapparatus, as hereinbefore described, has this defect in common withother boiler-feeding devices employing expanding thermostatic tubes tooperate any of their parts, viz: hen the normal pressure is greatlyincreased, the water in the tube will be much longer in coolin g to thetemperature which will permit such an amount of contraction in said tubeas will open the valve E and close the valve G,thereby closing thecheck-valve c. In order to remedy this defect and to adapt the devicefor use with boilers in which the pressure varies greatly at times Iemploy a second expansiontube K, arranged parallel and below the tube H.This tube is connected at one end with the fixed pipe I, so that it isalso filled with Water from the boiler. The other end of said tube isfastened to some rigid part of the easing 61 which contains the chamberD. When both tubes contain water, the said water will be approximatelyof the same temperature,

and therefore both tubes (being of substantially the same length) willexpand to substantiall y the same degree. The expansion of the tube Kpushes back the casing to which it is secured, and which contains thevalves Gr and E, a distance equal to the elongation of the tube H,wherefore said valves are not moved within the casing. It is only whenwater is expelled from the tube H and live steam takes its place thereinthat the tube H becomes hotter than tube K, whereupon the said tubeexpands more than the tube K, and consequently the said valves areoperated as described. The tube K is connected with the steam-space inthe boiler by the pipe which preferably enters the water therein.

The valves E and G are auxiliary valves, the purpose of which is tocontrol the admission of steam from the boiler to the interior of thevalve-casing 0 above the valve-closing piston c, and the escape of saidsteam from said part of said casing to the exhaust, whereby, first, thepiston c is moved inone direction by the steam-pressure to close thevalve 0, or,

' second, permitted to be moved in the other.

direction by the back-pressure from the boiler, so that said valve 0 mayopen.

One great advantage secured by the described construction over any otherautomatic boiler-feeds is this-viz. ,the valve in the feed-pipe iseither tightly closed, so that no water can pass through it, or it issusceptible of being opened wide by the pressure from the The pump,therefore, acts freely and easily, or not all.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a boiler feeding device, incombination, a valve casing adapted to be connected in the feed waterpipe, a valve therein, a piston therein adapted to close said valve, anauxiliary valve casing, a port or pipe connecting the two casings, saidauxiliary valve casing having an outlet port and an inlet port, a pipefor connecting the latter with the steam space in the boiler, two valvesmovable in opposite directions to open said inlet and outlet ports, anexpansible tube fixed at one end, pipes connecting said tube with theboiler at two points-one above and one below the water level in theboiler, two rods, connected with the movable end of said expansibletube, which enter the auxiliary valve casing and engage with said valvesrespectively, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. An auxiliary valve for a boiler-feeding device consisting of achambered casing having an exhaust port and an inlet port and an orificewith which the main feed water valve casingmay be connected, two valvesfor closing said inlet and outlet ports, an expansible tube fixed at oneend, pipes for connecting said tube with the boiler above and below thewater level therein, two rods secured to the movable end of said tube,which rods enter the chambered casing, and suitable connec tions betweensaid rods and valves, substan tially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In an auxiliary valve for a boiler feeding device, a chambered valvecasing having inlet and outlet ports, valves for closing said ports,springs for moving said valves to their seats, an expansible tube fixedat one end, pipes for connecting said tube with the boiler at twopoints-one above and one below the water level therein, two rods securedto the movable endof said expansible tube and entering said chamberedcasing and having a telescoping connection with the stems of saidvalves, and shoulders on said rods and stems, whereby the said valvesare opened by said rods, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a boiler feeding device, two expansible tubes both fixed at oneend, pipes for connecting both tubes with the boiler at two points, avalve casing fixed to one expansible tube, a valve therein, andmechanism intermediate of said valve and the movable end of the otherexpansible tube, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In a boiler feeding device, a chambered valve casing, having inletand outlet ports, and another opening with which the feed water valvecasing is connected, valves for closing said inlet and outlet ports, anexpansible tube connected at one end to said chambered valve casing andrigidly fixed at the other end, pipes connecting said tube with theboiler at two points, a second expansible tube above that first namedfixed at one end, and connected with the boiler at two pointsone aboveand one below the water level, two rods connected with the movable endof the expansible tube last named, and entering the valve casing, andsuitable mechanism connecting said rods and valves, substantially as andfor .the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEO. A. EDDY. Witnesses:

E. L. THURSTQN, L. F. GRISWOLD.

